The Butterfly on a Flower
by Vineyard
Summary: [SessKag]It was prophesied that a day the humans would over take, a day where youkai would be driven into hiding. Seven hundred years before today what is the past, the present, the future. Can one ever know? Courage.
1. Chapter 1

**The Butterfly on a Flower**

_**by Vineyard**_

**Prologue: In The Beginning**

Night had descended. One by one, lanterns of all sorts, all colours were being lit and hung up high. The shrine's gravel ground was sprawled with numerous shadows that painted it blue and black. People filled every empty area, hopping on and off each and every stall. Kagome Higurashi folded her arms in the sleeves of her yukata and wandered around like everyone else, enjoying the small carnival her family shrine had organized for the festive occasion.

"Kagome-chan!"

Kagome turned around to find three of her classmates waving to her excitedly. She waved back and giggled as her friends tried hobbling towards her. Like her, Kagome's friends had each worn a simple cotton yukata and donned geta sandals. Unaccustomed to the traditional wooden sandals, her friends had a hard time approaching her. Finally, they reached her side and the three started groaning.

"These sandals are the death of me! I'm gonna take them off!"

"And walk bare footed?! Common Yumi, it's only for one night."

" Yeah! One night but many hours! Even more so if we count it in minutes!"

Together, the girls laughed and waved off the argument and began moving about the stalls slowly. The night was still young, the sky merely a shade darker, as the girls explored the little carnival. They amused themselves with the carnival games and marvelled at the intricate trinkets and lovely little ornaments. Once in a while, the girls would make inexpensive purchases to bring home or exchanged them as gifts. They had a delightful time spending the little they brought along on cheap brown candy and Kyoto sweets that came in all shapes and sizes.

Just as night had thoroughly fallen, the girls had wandered far into the back of the carnival and stopped outside a greyish brown tent. The narrow and faded canvas tent was tucked in a corner, hidden unless you wandered far enough to notice. There were lesser people around this area; the plain unattractive stall hardly caught the eye of any passer-by.

"Hey, is that a fortune telling booth?" one of the girls pointed towards a wooden board hung over the tents entrance.

The girls eyed the weary signboard curiously.

"Wanna go check it out? We can find out about our love lives!"

The four girls giggled and headed towards the tent. They stopped right outside and tried peering through the small slit of an entrance. It was dark inside; they could not make out anything.

"Hey Eri, why don't you go first."

"Why don't you go?!"

"Uh. You suggested it, so you go first!"

The squabble continued and one of them pushed Kagome straight ahead. Kagome gave a slight shriek and stumbled into the little tent. Her friends entered one by one, meekly peering over Kagome's shoulder. The girls gasped in astonishment. Odd, but the inside of the tent was brightly lit. Tall three inched candles covered the ground and made it look like a sea of white wax and fire. There was hardly space for the girls to move around and they had to tip toe carefully about the mazes of candles.

"Hey, let's leave." Kagome glanced around the empty tent, taking in its plainness and hollowing feel.

"Let's just look around a little more." one of them urged. "We might just find something interesting-"

"My, my, what a crowd." a soft lady like voice interrupted.

The girls immediately spun round, shock to be suddenly confronted by a woman at the entrance.

"Are you here for fortune telling?"

The woman was smiling at them cordially and removed her coat, hanging it on a silver cloak stand the girls had not noticed before. Without the thick coat, the girls could make out the thinness of the woman. She was lean, slightly bony and was petite and small. Her vivacious brown hair, framed her sculpted face in waves and curls. She was not beautiful yet more so gauntly elegant.

The girls stared at the queer and fascinating lady, moving oh so smoothly through the tiny pathways of candles.

"Come sit." The woman herself settled onto a stool. None of the girls moved, staring intently at the lady, taking in her mannerisms that do not seem familiar.

The woman smiled and tucked her hands gracefully on her lap. She gazed at each of the girls, her eyes lingering a little while longer on Kagome. Kagome observe the lady and saw a flit of unplaced emotions across the lady's face when their eyes met. It was hard to place a finger on that feeling she saw. Somehow, it made Kagome feel suspended, like she knew this lady, as if she was familiar with the woman here from a long long time ago.

Kagome looked at the woman, who busied herself with the table. Yet, she was sure, so very certain that she had never seen such a woman in her entire life. She would remember if she had, the bright dark red and knowing eyes that penetrated her thoughts so easily.

"Do you wear contacts?" Kagome blurted.

Kagome's friends stopped their quiet argument of who should go first and stared at her. The woman looked slightly startled and glanced up. She smiled and reached under the table. From below, she retrieved a shallow bronze dish and placed it on the tabletop. Again, she went under and brought up a tall skinny jug.

"No. No I don't" the woman replied after awhile, tilting the jug over the quaint dish that took up one-third of the table space. Water poured generously into the wide bronze dish, licking against the kanji inscriptions that framed the edge of the dish.

"Why don't you go first?" the fortune-teller straightened herself and looked directly at Kagome.

Kagome broke her gaze with the woman and looked at her friends uncertainly. She opened her mouth to suggest her friends first but the three simply nodded vigorously at her. Kagome sighed and approached the empty stool. She paused, staring at the dish on the table. The tainted gold colour stood out peculiarly against the black cloth.

"Come, sit." The refined woman smiled, a soft smile.

Kagome settled into the stiff stool, her back straight and her body ready to bolt. The woman's eyes unnerved her. It held a glint, no it was not malicious, it was more urging like an unfolding revelation, but Kagome was still unsure.

"Well, shall we begin?"

Without waiting for a reply, the woman took a fan out from the right breast of her kimono. Kagome stared at the fan as the fortune-teller brandished it over the dish of water. In the beginning moments, nothing happened, the fan simply continued its route round and round the top of the dish. Then slowly, Kagome began to feel wisp of wind materializing, like a tiny tornado with its wind clashing and moving in swirls faster each time it circled.

"Girl."

Kagome jerked back at the woman's voice and faced her. The fan was now open; display an elaborate design of moving dragons and phoenixes. Kagome's eyes trained on the dancing fan, subconsciously noticing the sudden darkness of the room. She looked around, aware of her friends still watching intently. The greyish white wisp of smoke rising from the candles formed a dreamlike fog, casting a huge shadow upon them, yet queerly, Kagome could not smell the choking scent of smoke, instead, she could distinctively make out the pleasant fragrance of lavender and pomegranate.

Kagome whirled round and stared at the woman curiously, wondering what in the world is going on. Her neck was hot and sticky, only her face could feel the brushes of unearthly wind. The woman gazed at her and snapped her fan shut. The winds died.

"Girl, Kagome."

Kagome looked into the wine red eyes of the woman and wondered how did the woman know her name when none of them even mentioned names. Both at the table stared into each other's eyes. Stark red against the blues of the teenage girl.

"How do you know my name?"

The woman's smile widened but said nothing.

All the senses, right down to the pores of Kagome's skin was on alert. The raven-haired girl did not dare move, did not dare utter a word. It was like the woman before her was questioning with her eyes, challenging her. Kagome felt as if the woman knew something. Hell! She somehow knew her name!

"It was a long time ago," the woman suddenly began, her fingers lovingly tracing the lacquered wood of the fan, "a very long time ago, when it all began."

The woman stared into Kagome's eyes, her fingers pausing once it reached the tip of the fan. She smiled and looked away from Kagome. The smile was not cruel, but it was hard to tell what it was. The whole situation was like a veil Kagome could not uncover herself.

"Kagome." the mentioned girl felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder and found her friends looking around uneasily, rubbing their upper arms. Kagome had not noticed the sudden chill of the place and following the example of her friends; she started to ease the goosebumps on her arms.

"Kag. I think we should leave" Yumi whispered. Her friend sounded freaked and their faces urged her to make the decision to leave.

Kagome glanced at the waiting fortune-teller and back at her friends.

"It's okay." Inwardly, Kagome hoped she was right; her own confidence in her words was starting to falter.

Kagome needed to know, what the woman knew. Her past, her present, her future, all weighed heavily ringing out in this tent to her very soul.

The woman smiled at Kagome; somehow Kagome had a notion the woman knew that she was going to stay. So be it, Kagome steeled herself against her unease and doubts. She straightened her back and stared at the fortune-teller. Holding her breath, she gave a small nod. The woman's smile widened.

"I was sure you wanted to know about yourself, Eienjuu." The woman whispered; Kagome barely caught her words.

_Who's Eienjuu?_ Kagome thought and opened her mouth to ask the woman.

The woman paused as Kagome prepared to speak. Yet before the curious girl could get her questions answered, the strange fortune-teller reached her hand out and placed her palm flat down against the water surface of the basin. All words died as Kagome allowed herself to be remarkably amazed by the suddenly glowing water.

" It was prophesied that a day the humans would over take, a day where youkai would be driven into hiding. For the humans, it was salvation. For the youkai it was pandemonium. It was when it all began, seven hundred years ago. Seven hundred years of awaiting change."

The dish of water was sparkling, as if someone had tipped multi coloured glitter into the water. Its shimmer blinked at Kagome in thousands every time the woman's finger swooshed the water.

"Seven hundred years before today."

"It is acting like a double edge sword. Already we have the prophecy to handle; now this rumour has set the land into a bloody massacre!"

* * *

Mummers roused at the comment made by the lord of the Eastern lands. Indeed the situation was disastrous, the Lords of the four respective lands and their advisors had gathered at the Western citadel because of the alarming matter. Head clashes between the youkai race and the humans were on the rise, and the Lords were worried about upsetting the natural balance of things.

"The lower youkai have been attacking humans, afraid of the prophecy. I do not blame them; the matter is serious, a proclamation of such magnitude is utterly bold and if true, perilous." Rayerth the Lord of the South reasoned.

"However," Inutaishou the current Lord over the Western lands raised his hand to silence the chatter, "however right sounding a reason the youkai may have, it was unwise for such an uproar. The humans have begun to retaliate. Both sides are diminishing quickly. Worst of all, this fresh talk of the mikos are sending more to their death."

Sesshoumaru listened to his father speak. True as his father had said, times now were filled with foolish conflicts, judgmental and uncalled kinds of antagonism. For centuries each side had been tolerant, each side keeping their wrath and hatred at bay, the prophecy had broken that thread of tolerance and holding back.

Demons attacked human villages and humans sent their mikos, houshis and taijiyas to return the favour. As if things aren't bad enough, the situation had taken a turn for the worse. New rumours had begun to emerge; they were either true or stemming from human's fears and superstition. The word spread that a drop of sacrificial blood from women with spiritually high powers could slay and cleanse a thousand. Many villages now practice such cultic ways to the horror and distaste of the lords.

"The tables have turned on the humans." Inutaishou held the attention of the room. "The strong belief they have in this new perverse way of salvation is slaying them slowly. We have to stamp out this phase."

"Why can't we just leave the humans to die?" a coy voice interrupted. It was no secret that the Levee, the Lady of the Northern lands held great contempt for the human race. "In this manner, they weed themselves out, and the prophecy would be void. Wouldn't this be better for us?"

The other lords considered what Lady Levee said advantageous and began voicing agreements. Inutaishou ignored the frivolous suggestion of Lady Levee, a bat youkai. She was still young and inexperienced. Her widowed mother had passed on the month before, leaving the lands into her daughter's hands.

"Kami had placed both youkai and humans on this land for a purpose." Inutaishou's stern steady voice cut through all solitary conversations. "It is not our choice or decision to make seeing who fits to remain living in this land.

There is a balance we have to upkeep; disregardful of how much we do not like the other party. I am sure all the Lords are certain of nature's order. Aren't we all?"

Neither lords were willing to go against Inutaishou's words nor did they dare question Kami's actions in placing both youkai and humans together.

"For now, all we can do is send our scouts around the villages and cities to root out such miko sacrificial practices. We will deal with this one step at a time. Our concentration shall be placed on the obliteration of the heinous occult, then we shall discuss again the handling of the prophecy."

"Are there any other suggestions then?" Inutaishou was aware of the bitter expression Lady Levee worn. He was slightly amused at the fact that she was so utterly narrow minded in her ruling whereas her mother had been wise, proficient and accommodating. Though so, he kept this amusement silently to himself.

Inutaishou nodded sternly at the Lords' silent agreement. "It shall be done thus forth then."

There was a pregnant paused before Inutaishou gave a curt nod. Sesshoumaru mirrored his father's action in courtesy and followed his father out the study. A step behind his father, Sesshoumaru strode across the wide corridor, passing by the family portraits he had seen all his life. He paused slightly at the recent one hung up, his younger half brother's painting aligned next to his.

"Sesshoumaru." the older youkai's baritone voice brought Sesshoumaru's attention away from the picture.

The older man had paused and gazed at the same picture that Sesshoumaru had previously been looking. The younger pup noticed his father's claws reach out slightly to the picture, but quickly withdraw his hand moments later.

"I need you to travel to Inuyasha's forest."

Sesshoumaru remained stoic and averted his gaze from his father's face and trained it back to the picture on the wall. His younger brother Inuyasha, his younger half brother.

"It was reported that a miko is being sacrificed, so as we speak. I do not know the extent of this matter, however if possible, I would like to miko saved, and the village people spared Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded at his father's compassion, silently uncomprehending his father's grace. He too agreed somewhat with Lady Levee; the humans do not deserve to live. Their own wayward ways have simply brought judgment upon themselves.

"I will leave now father."

* * *

The white steed fidgeted as the village within Inuyasha's forest came into view from the hill drop. Sesshoumaru could feel the tangible spiritual presence in the air. It was too powerful to simply be that of a village miko. Perhaps there was more to this than a thoughtless sacrifice.

Sesshoumaru noticed the setting sun and signalled to his troops to halt. Sesshoumaru's soldiers were slightly nervous; their musky smell of sweat permeated the air. The strong overwhelming spiritual energy was discomforting and they remained absolutely quiet, worriedly quiet. The forest was reciprocated their silence with an abyss of deafening blackness, only the muffled thumps of horses' hooves softly echoed.

"Aii." Sesshoumaru's low voice summoned his commanding general.

A second stallion rode up as far as the cliff, it was equally anxious and neighed its unease. A hand stroked its mane tenderly and the horse quieted.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. There is something wrong."

The stoic youkai remained silent. The winds picked up slightly as evening began its unhurried descent. Sesshoumaru cast another glance at the seemingly normal village and steered his horse away from the cliff's edge. He faced his general.

"Stay here with the men. Do not move into the village before the sun sets. I will return before then."

The female youkai bowed with her right hand across her left breast in respect. Sesshoumaru nodded and dismissed her. As his general rejoined the troop, Sesshoumaru kicked his steed slightly and began quickly heading towards the depth of the forest.

Many thoughts raced through Sesshoumaru's mind, each trying to find an explanation for this high peak in spiritual energy that only seemed to surround the village and areas of near proximity. Sesshoumaru's horse raced into a clearing and his thoughts stopped short.

A hard tug at the reins slowed the horse. Sesshoumaru calmed his horse with his hands, and gazed coolly around the clearing, his eyes taking in the surrounding before settling upon a figure pinned to a large god tree.

_His jaki is still sealed._

Sesshoumaru dismounted his steed, one of his suspicions rendered void. His younger brother was not awakened. Sesshoumaru used his claws to strip the vines that had crept and coiled and twisted up his sibling's form.

_Then why is there such a high amount of energy from this place? _

Sesshoumaru raised his hand to the arrow that had pinned Inuyasha to the god tree. The arrow cackled where Sesshoumaru had touched. The youkai pulled his hands away from the arrow, his fingers burnt. The energy from the arrow was similar to that coming from the village. Sesshoumaru turned to leave and was about to mount his horse when a rustle in a far end bush made him pause. He could smell a ningen, a human.

There was a sudden padding of footwork. Sesshoumaru's hand smoothly reached the hilt of his sword. A figure bounded into the clearing and Sesshoumaru eyed her. It was a girl, a young teenage girl. The human girl froze on the spot when she saw Sesshoumaru. She fearfully stared at his tall form before recognition took over. Her eyes widened and she stared back and forth, looking from Inuyasha to Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru could sense no malice from this human girl so he relinquished the hold on his hilt and mounted the steed. He backed out of the clearing, and his steed started to trod slowly back to his troops. Sesshoumaru knew that the girl was following him and quickened the speed of his horse. The girl started running to keep up with him, the distance between them drew apart. Abruptly, the girl fell, her knees grazing the rough forest floor. She cried out and Sesshoumaru halted. The smell of her blood reached his sensitive nose.

The youkai wanted to leave; instead he urged his horse towards the crying girl. With an arm, the youkai lifted the girl and placed his behind him. Scowling, the youkai began his ride back to his troops knowing that his father would be unhappy if he left the girl.

The girl had stopped sobbing somewhere along the way and began talking.

"I clean his face everyday."

Sesshoumaru ignored the girl and used one hand to push away her arms that tried circling his waist.

"I'm Rin."

Sesshoumaru continued to pay no heed to the girl as he reached his troops.

"Aii." He called out.

The female inuyoukai was surprised when she saw a young woman peeking from Sesshoumaru's behind. Her steed approached her lord and she bowed her head reverently.

"You have returned my lord."

"Take the girl and leave her somewhere safe."

The girl started to protest as she was lifted off Sesshoumaru's horse. Aii sensed that the girl did not want to leave and pitied the girl.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, there is no place safe here. If you will permit, I would like to keep the girl beside me."

Sesshoumaru glanced at his general, without saying a word, he turned away and rode towards the cliff.

"Aii, we're leaving soon, just as the sun sets. Get the men ready."

* * *

Sesshoumaru steeled himself against the stench of burning and dead flesh. His troops had stormed the village. The villagers had initiated an attack. Many of Sesshoumaru's men were down. He growled at the unexpected turn of events. All of the villagers had displayed high tendencies of spiritual energy, attacking and wounding his soldiers without hesitation. It seems that all the villagers were either mikos or houshis.

The youkai troop had barely managed to push the villagers back. Many of humans fled towards the far end of the village where Sesshoumaru spotted a shrine. The youkai ordered the remaining of his men to surround the shrine. The villagers had made a human barrier around the shabby temple.

"No one is to enter the sanctuary of Kami's maiden! Especially you of tainted blood!" the man facing Sesshoumaru spat.

The villagers who were still alive chorused the man's intent. Somehow, Sesshoumaru sensed the spiritual energy of the villagers had died and could feel a collective gathering of huge amounts of unexplained energy from inside the shrine.

Sesshoumaru ignored the man and kicked his horse hard. The steed leapt and the man toppled to the ground. Sesshoumaru's heavy stallion landed on the ground, above the fallen man. The man's piercing screamed made the villagers flinched as the hooves of the horse crushed both his wrists.

Surprisingly, none of the villagers reacted with the purifying power they had displayed earlier. Sesshoumaru's men seized the village people easily this time causing him to wonder what this was all about.

_Perhaps the shrine has some answers after all. _

Sesshoumaru left his horse to Aii and lifted the cloth covering the entrance. It was dark and an overpowering scent of burning incense blocked out all other smells. The strong incense of rosebay seemed to be hiding something. It covered the whole shrine, masking the walls under its sweet-smelling influence.

Sesshoumaru ordered his men to light torches inside the shrine. One by one, sticks of dry wood went ablaze with flaring reddish orange flames. The sight brought to light was horrifying; Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as his spotted the gruesome altar. The Western Troop soldiers gagged at the sight, through and through disgusted by what they saw and could not smell previously.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." the mentioned youkai heard Aii call him and before he could respond a scream pierced the dead of the night.

* * *

A/N: There are some minor edits i made to this chapter. Ok i've been gone a long time i know. As compensation, chapter two is out right after this. Yupp? Do review ;) I wanna know how i'm doing. SMILES Go! Click the buttom and review your hearts out! Wahaha!  



	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Now THIS is IMPORTANT! There have been some minor changes made as to date (7th Nov 2006). It is merely minor detailing issues that i felt needed great improvement. However, to those who do not wish to go back and re-read is it fine. Nothing really diverges the story from its original plot so its cool!

Gah! I KNOW I KNOW i have been missing. I greatly apologise to those who had high hopes in me and had encouraged me greatly through your reviews. I know i tend to start and not finish but when i went back to read your reviews, i felt so guilty and i dug out the work and read it. I got inspired again, and that's how this chapter came to birth! I do have to apologise for the mistakes if any, because i had only briefly prove read this chapter. In the hurry to the next chapt, i hope you don't mind. Maybe I should get a beta. Dontcha think? Volunteers anyone? ;)

Many thanks to you all, i hope you do enjoy what i have written. I'm proud of it i hope you are too.

Eh flamers? Go easy on me kay? I do accept criticism as i believe people can see things differently, but try ta spare my feelings abit kay? Love ya! Anddddd

On with the show! Err i mean story...

**The Butterfly on a Flower**

_**by Vineyard**_

**Chapter One: The Burning of Sins**

Aii watched as choking sobs wrecked the little girl's body. The sweet lass cried, her tears and vomit hit across the cracked mud ground. The general had not even entered the shrine, calling for her lord, before Rin had rushed in after Sesshoumaru and dashed out heaving. More tears fell as the girl's shoulders trembled. The youkai general paused and looked at the sickened girl.

"Take her." Aii ordered her men. "Bring her back to the clearing with the rest of the wounded. And hurry."

The girl, Rin, protested, her hands tightening around the wooden doorframe of the shrine refusing to leave. Aii glanced at Rin, surprised. The girl's knuckles were white, from her tight grip on the doorframe, while her head shook vigorously at Aii's orders. She wanted to stay.

Aii sighed as the girl retched onto the floor again. The female inuyoukai slightly recoiled at the vomit odour as she soothed the bent over girl's back, rubbing calming circles over her spinal bone, in hope to settle the girl's frayed nerves.

"Issau! Start regrouping, I need an overhaul and damage report!" Aii shouted as she heaved the Rin unto her horse. "You stay here." She told the girl softly, before turning away.

"Kairi!" The general commanded attention. "See to the wounded and leave immediately for the forest clearing, collect the carriages and head back. Send for a healer to stand by at the citadel to receive you and your men." Aii briskly turned away from the crouching inuyoukai and faced another. "Hido, Start dousing the fire, make sure every human is rounded and accounted for. Leave the dead, there's no time for burial."

"What about the bodies of our own men?"

Aii pursed her lips before replying quietly. "Leave them as well."

The female general's expression hardened when a few of her men harshly forced the humans into captivity. Giving the human girl a quick glance, she turned away and entered the shrine.

* * *

With a woman barely alive in his arms, Sesshoumaru faced the altar. It was truly an immoral sight. Blood, _her blood_, flooded the stone top and gathered into a dark red pool at the hollowed out centre. A deep canal was gorged central into the stone altar, leading the crimson liquid off the stone top, dripping into a wooden cistern sitting at the bottom front of the tabernacle; yet he could not smell blood at all. The entire shrine was clouded under a musky fragrance of rosebay, burnt remains of the petals. 

"Aii, fetch some robes."

There was no response.

"Aii!"

The wide eye commanding general's eyes widened if possible and snapped out of her reverie. She jerked up and glanced at the bareness of the naked woman. Quickly, she hurried out of the shrine, one fist stiff at her side, while the other clutched the hilt of her sword. As Aii's shadow retreated from the shrine, Sesshoumaru set his eyes above the centrepiece, the altar.

Severed ropes hung from the ceiling, dangling precariously over the altar, occasionally brushing across the cold stone top. The tall inuyoukai had swiftly cut the ropes not long ago, releasing the woman out off the imprisonment of the ropes.

Sesshoumaru stared, his eyes calculating every detail. He took in the sight of two long katanas standing erect on either side of the stone altar, the long cheap blades hidden under heavy layers of crusted blood.

"My lord."

Aii had returned.

"There were no clean robes available." The general set the heavy down sheets on the ground and rolled them out, blanketing out a clean area. Sesshoumaru nodded and turned his eyes away from the bloody sight.

The youkai lord allowed Aii to take over and watched as the female inuyoukai gently laid the woman into the softness of the blankets. Aii then began to tend the woman's wounds. The bandages were quickly stained red as the general wrapped them around the woman's palm.

"She's the miko of this village my lord."

Sesshoumaru silently acknowledged the informal report as his eyes travelled from the long sword blades standing on the altar, to the gapping wounds in the miko's both palm. No doubt, the swords had been used to pierce through the woman's hands, drawing forth a flow of blood.

_A flow of blood for them to partake in. _Sesshoumaru assumed his eyes hardening while taking in the blood filled cistern and the blood stained cups.

"They had been drinking her blood." Aii's voice was soft for a warrior.

It would explain the villagers immense yet short lived powers and the desire to keep her and maintain the power they had at hand. The very thought of consuming from one's own disgusted Sesshoumaru. The tall youkai lord raised his nose indignantly, still very aware of the overly sweet flower scent that masked the place.

_And youkai were said to be the cruel ones. _

The smell of rosebay was still strong.

* * *

Inutaishou glanced at the woman resting on the futon. She was at least eighteen years of age, barely marking her adulthood by nearing twenty. Too young to be more than an apprentice of miko, let alone one herself. Yet, from what Sesshoumaru had said, she was the only apparent and real priestess in the village. The recount of the village's siege had not only been complex, it had also burdening, filling the dungeons of his citadel with prisoners. Human prisoners from the village to be exact. 

. Inutaishou sighed taking his eyes off the miko to glance briefly at his eldest. Sesshoumaru was intently watching the healer examine the petite woman. The girl, woman, was now clean and her wounds freshly bandaged. He had to admit, the miko was stunning for a human, much like Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother.

"She is beautiful."

"She is powerful father." Sesshoumaru replied not turning away from the miko.

The older youkai's lips thinned as he studied the woman. Yes, she was powerful; her blood was strong and he could smell it, feel her prowess. Much like currents in the air before a thunderstorm, her blood called likewise and Inutaishou could feel the tingles of her blood's scent against his lips.

Yet.

"Why isn't she healing father?"

Both males remained silent as the healer looked up exasperated. The wounds inflicted on the miko were clearly not healing, soaking up layers after layers of bandages that had been redressed several times.

"I do not understand my Lord." the healer worked fervently, trying to bring the bleeding to a minimal, least the human bled to death. "Her wound tendencies are none similar to that of youkai or humans."

Inutaishou pursed his lips, "Sesshoumaru."

The young taiyoukai knew that his father expected answers. "I do not know father. The villagers would not speak."

If possible, the older youkai's face grew graver. They needed answers and this was their first real lead. According to Sesshoumaru, the village and the forested area surrounding it were flushed with a veil of energy, one similar to the arrow that had sealed his youngest. He needed answers.

"Sesshoumaru," the mentioned kneeled at his father's feet, recognizing the commanding tone. "Send your generals back to the village and the villages surrounding. Scour and find out anything if possible."

Sesshoumaru nodded as his father turned and left the room. The youkai got off the stone floor and glanced at the healer still frantically working. He silently admitted that the miko lady was indeed striking, heart shaped face with a set of high cheekbones, skin as tempting as pale silk and dark long waves of hair that framed it. She was on the thin side, no doubt starved and only fed to be kept alive but she was beautiful. _Was this the kind of beauty that reeled father in?_ Sesshoumaru was disgusted, today had confirmed his disdain of humans.

"All are the same."

"My lord?" the healer questioned his silent comment.

"Nothing. Continue your task."

With a swift turn he left the room as Aii joined him down the corridor.

"Summon Issau, Kairi and Hido. We will scout the village for information ourselves."

"On horses my Lord?"

"No, we will run."

With the briefest of nods, the female general sped off to ready themselves.

* * *

Aii ran along the bloody dirt path. There was no rain the day before, the grounds stank heavily of rotting bodies and blackened blood, both humans' youkais'. Most of the thatched huts were either burnt to the ground or had collapse during the siege of the village. 

"Information, heh!" Issau stuck his nose into the air before backing down, the stench blocking out any other smell, except the smell of _rosebay_. "There's nothing here to gather!" the young Siberian tiger youkai was probably the most, or rather they only chatty general in the Inu clan of military ranks.

Aii ignored his nonsensical prattling and sped up her pace, causing the youngest general to yelp in surprise. "Keep searching."

The black haired, dark eyed Issau grumbled as his commanding general sped out of sight. "Sure, leave me behind." Then he spotted a fellow comrade. "Hido!"

The other general of the four main guard units internally winced and ignored the youkai he had not come to recognize as a general. As the tiger neared, he knew that he would no longer be allowed to pay no attention to him.

"What is it Issau."

"You don't seem happy."

The wolf youkai refrained from rolling his eyes and continued to search.

Both generals combed the devastated area of the village, keeping their ears open over Issau's chatter as the scent of rosebay remained annoyingly strong. Both generals paid no heed to the sweet scent until they heard a distinct sound of retching in a distance. Hido cursed silently at the lack of smell, leaving his only other senses which sorely could not compensate.

Both males rushed nearer to what they heard. It was into the deep end of the village, hidden but thick bushes, under a semi collapsed roof that they found younglings, human younglings. Issau quickly vaulted the roof, exposing the huddling children. There were fifteen in brief count, three of which were vomiting on the ground while the rest cried in muffled tones. Hido cursed again.

Issau immediately lifted his head and gave sharp roar, startling some of the children into louder frenzy.

"Issau!" Hido hissed. The tiger rubbed his neck sheepishly as the wolf tried to calm the children to no avail.

It was a stretch of time later Aii sped into sight.

"What in the world!" she glanced quickly at the children. "Oh Kami."

With sense that the majority of the male species did not have, Aii knelt on the ground and propped the first two children, boys, up. Issau followed suit with the third boy, sitting him straight before bending him over the soil. His nose wrinkled. The smell was horrid close up.

"Hido, go get Kairi." Hido nodded at Aii and left swift, glad to be away from the tearful younglings.

Issau alternately rubbed the children's back and Aii stood and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Aii. Look." The female inuyoukai picked up the red, pink and white clusters from the ground where Issau pointed and glanced at the children vomit. It had bits of the coloured petals and upon closer inspection, the vomit had a sickening sweet smell of rosebay.

Kairi returned with Hido, both arms with thin linen sheets, the only cleans ones they could get from the rummage. Hido and Aii began to gather the other children into a big group within the sheets. Aii produced her rations, four pieces of rice cakes in a white cloth as Hido did the same. The children were hesitant in accepting the food, but when they did, they wolfed it down in seconds.

"Issau, Kairi. Hand over your rations."

Kairi immediately surrendered his while Issau stared at Aii.

"But I haven't eaten since morning!"

The three general glared at the tiger, who visibly scooted backwards with a reluctant 'fine!'

Aii unfolded the white cloth and raised hey eyebrow at Issau. His rations contained an extra two pieces of rice cake instead of the customary four.

"What! I get hungry easily."

Aii shook her head and turned to Kairi ignoring Issau's rants on how military life was mistreating. "Can they eat?"

Kairi shook his head as he check the pulse of one boy. "Not yet. They'd just regurgitate the food."

"What is wrong with them?"

"All we can assume is that the flowers are poisonous to humans. The children probably ate the only thing they could find."

"They need water."

Aii sighed and handed the remaining rations to the children. She nodded to Hido and he took off to the nearest stream.

"Issau, cease your noise. Head back and prepare eighteen men from your division. Each to carry a child while the remaining guards would scout the vicinity." Issau stood and prepared to leave. "On your way back, send one man to the nearby village and engage a human healer. Bring the healer here quick."

"Hai." The tiger left a moment later.

Aii lifted her head, away from the emaciated children, away from the desecrated village, away from the blood and gore. _What is wrong with this village? _

Her fingers crushed the petals she held, releasing the sweet scent into the air. The smell sickened her.

* * *

Sesshoumaru glanced around the shrine. He still could not smell anything else. It was starting to get dark and the taiyoukai knew that the nocturnal creatures would be out to hunt in the village, drawn to the scent of blood. He swiftly moved about the four walls of the small shrine. Upon closer inspection, he found masks, gas masks made of snake youkai hide by the entrance. Nothing else. 

The young lord threw the used mask on the ground and headed out, Aii skidded to at halt before him, one knee bent, her head low. Sesshoumaru spotted crushed petals in the fists of her right hand. He neared her and could mildly discern the scent of human pups, vomit and the ever annoying whiff of scented flowers.

"We found younglings my lord. Fifteen, from this village no doubt."

Sesshoumaru nodded and averted his eyes to the sky.

"Three of the pups are sick." Aii's continuation regained the taiyoukai's attention. "They were driven to hunger and consumed these."

Sesshoumaru plucked the petals off Aii's palm and brought it to his nose. _Rosebay_. The whole village stank of it, reeked, soaked the walls of the shrine and the air of the village. After a day, the smell had somewhat diminished, but youkai senses were still raw and sensitive, so much so that the fragrance dominated all smells.

"A healer?"

"Has been sent my lord. Her name is Kaede from a neighbouring village. Issau and the men from the third division have headed back to the citadel with the children and the healer."

"Men?" to Sesshoumaru's knowledge only his generals were involved in this stake out.

"I got escorts my lord. A carriage would take too much time to come and bring the children back. Dusk is about to settle."

Aii remained kneeling as Hido and Kairi appeared by her side, both knees bowed before the tall taiyoukai.

"There are no more survivors my lord." There was a heightened level of tightness in Kairi's voice that Aii had not noticed before. She glanced sideways at Hido, noticing a hardened glaze in his eyes. "The rest of the village children had perished under the fall of the headsman's hut."

Aii's eyes widened and her fists tightened. They had brought down the establishment, though forced to retaliate, they were unaware of the children hiding in the house.

"Were there not informants sent before the attack?" Sesshoumaru showed no emotion. _Father is not going to like this._

"There were informants my lord." Nothing else was said.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru walked towards his generals and stopped a foot in front of their shadows cast upon the ground.

"Aii."

The commanding general made no sound.

"Check the area again."

"If there are no more survivors my lord?" Her voice was forced. _No more mistakes. We cannot afford it._

* * *

With a firm thrust, twin blades made of the finest steel were thrust into the ground. The blades glint under the rays of the setting sun, the blunt side of the blade catching most of the light, glittered in an orange glow.

"To those who lost their lives. To courage." Aii's voice heavy with regard as Hido and Kairi bowed their heads. Since bodies were not recovered and most purified to ashes, it was decided that the blades be a mark of significance to the sacrifice made. At least, it was something the generals could account to the families who lost their boys and their men. Not many died, but still, lives were lost

Aii had seen death so many times. Yet every time one under her passed on, the feeling of regret hit her hard. She had drafted these males into the Western army and she was responsible for their training. She knew she could not help all, but to every that died, she mourned.

_Courage. _She reminded herself and her sharp nail dug into her palms. With a deep breath, she lifted both hands and willed her youki into control. Her body glowed dark orange, everything she touched were eaten away by flames. Soon the blaze mounted high, began to spread along the coaching of the wind, caressing the shrine and burning away its iniquities.

Hido and Kairi's eyes remained cast to the ground, the tiny hairs on their faces slightly scorched but they stood firm. They had lived and they would heal. This was all for courage, for the burning of sins.

* * *

_There's a red one, two light blue ones, one dark blue one. Four pinks, three yellows and three greens. _Rin hummed to herself as she unfolded each kimono set and placing them on the floor. She cooed over the different types of garments, held the intricately designed obis against her waist. The teenage girl did not know which to wear to dinner and was deciding between the red and dark blue when a servant tapped lightly on the shoji door.

"Rin-san?"

The petite girl turned away from the chest and as the doors slid open. A female youkai stepped in with a wooden basin of water. She set the basin on the vanity, by the side of a bronze handheld mirror.

"Rin-san. Have you decided on any garment for tonight's meal?"

Rin looked down at all the unfolded kimonos and held the red one up. "This one!" she grabbed the golden obi and held both article of clothes against herself.

"But Rin-san, that is a Furisode. It is for weddings and galas. Pick another?"

Rin picked up the dark blue one as three more servant girls, visibly younger than the first, entered.

The older servant smiled and gently removed the blue and red kimonos, folding them and setting them back into the chest. "This would do fine." She picked up a pale yellow piece and gestured for the reluctant girl to stand on a stool.

Rin stood on the stool unwillingly, her arms glued to her sides. She did not like they lady choosing her clothes for her, and she would rather dress herself. But Rin thought of the tall lord that saved her and decided, _maybe she knows better how to please the lord._

With a significant improvement of mood, Rin lifted her arms as the servants instructed and allowed them to dress her layer by layer. She smiled, looking forward to see the lord that looked so much like the one pinned to the tree.

* * *

A/N: Most of it said in the front. I hope you liked it. Do review and tell me how it is k? Any suggestions for up coming plot twists just tell me! I'll use it and credit you of course! Go hit the review button! Then the faves button! Then erm... read again and review again! Haha!

See ya next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**The Butterfly on a Flower**

_**by Vineyard**_

**Chapter Two: Fallen**

The halls were strangely quiet. Rin knew that Sesshoumaru-sama and his army had already returned, yet the corridors were devoid of living beings; this puzzled her greatly. Even Aii-san was not around, and she had promised to visit Rin once the village's matters were dealt with. The young girl tugged the sleeves of the kimono upwards, the swinging material inconveniencing her terribly, causing her to slightly stumble upon the steps.

"Rin-san." The older servant, a youkai, whose name she did not learn knelt as they came to a shoji door. Gently, with her head bowed, the servant slid the door to the side, revealing a vast room with an open veranda to an extensive garden.

The dinning area, if you would please."

Rin had never seen such a large room; it was roughly the size of two village huts' grounds put together laterally. Fascinated, she lifted her sleeves and grasps them within her fists and did not enter. The room was a large rectangular space, floored with dark wood of the finest grain and polished to shine. A wide long table crafted from the same wood sat centre of the room with a large deep dishes with water and fragrant leaves laid upon the table top, filling the air with a light perfume that was even apparent to her human nose.

The garden was separated from the outside by tall grey stone perimeters with well trimmed vines entwining betweens the stone gaps. The centrepiece of the garden was a large koi pond with a tall sakura tree by its side. Two low bridges were built across the large pond and in the middle, stood a statue of a beautiful woman sitting on the water holding her bow.

The older youkai female hurriedly ushered the girl in and moved to the four ends of the room, lighting four identical paper lanterns adorned with motifs of a large white dog surrounded by swirls of smoke and clouds. Rin timidly settled herself on one of the many pristine white cushions that served as comfort seats. She tucked her feet under her kimono and worried her lower lip with her teeth.

"Ano, where is everyone?"

The servant finished lighting the room and knelt near the door. "Both Inutaishou-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama are busy my lady and the army nursing its losses at the healer's."

"Is Sesshoumaru-sama hurt?!" Rin exclaimed, rising quickly from the settee subsequently knocking her knees against the table.

With reflexes unachieved yet by a human, the older youkai servant rushed to save the dish of fragrant water from tipping over. She fussed over Rin and pushed the girl back down into a sitting position. With a slight wave of her hand, two servant girls brought in the meal for the evening.

"Is he hurt?" Rin asked once more, quieter this time.

"Iie, my child, the Lord is not hurt."

Rin took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay."

The girl wanted to ask more, but the youkai hushed her questions. It was late evening when Rin was full and requested to see Sesshoumaru. The servant declined her request but Rin was adamant.

"Please. Let me at least thank him for saving me."

The female youkai was uncertain but sighed, bowing slightly, "I'm sure the Lords would not mind Rin-san exploring the northern wing of the castle."

Rin's eyes widened and a smile broke from her lips. "Arigato!" the small girl quickly stood and rushed out of the room, tripping twice over her long sleeves before making to the door.

The servant silently cleared the table and stared after her. Shaking her head slightly she piled the dishes unto a tray. "Come in." she said and immediately four other youkai maidens entered and began to tidy the dinning area, airing and restoring for any further unexpected diners.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood still as the human healer worked tirelessly on the miko. Her wounds have yet to close, but the flow of blood was sluggish and clotting. The sun had passed the horizon, marking the closure of another day; another day passing and the miko's condition was not diagnosed.

All three accompanying generals and Captain General Aii knelt behind a standing Sesshoumaru, the back of Inutaishou facing them. Though so, the Lord was waiting for their account and an explanation. He wanted to know what the hell was going on.

"We found flowers Inutaishou-sama." Aii spoke up.

"I don't want to hear of the flora or fauna Captain General."

"Father."

The older youkai glanced at his son, whose face was impassive, showing nothing, betraying no emotion. He turned and fully faced his pup and his subordinates.

"The flowers are poisonous, Father." Sesshoumaru extended his arm and revealed four clusters of pink and white petals to Inutaishou.

"Rosebay." Inutaishou said simply. "Kaede," he said turning to the human miko who nodded.

Aii her head still lowered spoke up. "We speculate that the miko had consumed a substantial amount my lord, we can smell it on her clothes."

Inutaishou snorted at their ignorance and the four generals stiffened under their prostrate slouch. "Every one of you who came from the village reek of the flowers."

"But the children-" Aii continued no further as she felt the sharp eyes of Inutaishou on her form. Quickly she bowed her head lower.

"The miko consumed nay." the healer's voice filled the silence. "The little one has only water in her stomach and only that much she regurgitate."

"Smell carefully, or has your superior sense eluded you so." The older inuyoukai carefully picked up the miko's left arm, despite the protests of the human healer. Gently, he eased his sharp talon over her wrist opening a shallow wound.

Sesshoumaru took a deep sniff at his father's words and his eyes widened as he mentally relived the scenes of the village search. _The masks._ Inutaishou tapped his foot impatiently at his son's slow realizations.

"It's in her blood." The younger inuyoukai stared at the miko.

"Aye." Kaede made a sound of agreement.

"So?" Inutaishou asked impatiently.

"Father, there were masks found in the shrine." Sesshoumaru did not hesitate under his father's intense stare meeting his eyes carefully but surely, "I believe the villagers burnt the petals for her to inhale the fumes."

Inutaishou was silent for a moment; he then spun quickly, directing his attention on the healer. "Can anything be done?"

The healer did not meet his gaze, uncertainly wrapping the bandages on the miko's wrist. Finishing, she drew her eyes onto the miko's face, tucking a strand of fallen hair behind her shell of her ears.

"The cure for consuming rosebay is to instigate thyself to bodily expel it. In doing so, preventing the contamination from reaching the blood."

An uneasy silence fell onto the occupants of the room until Sesshoumaru spoke up.

"Answer the question ningen. Can anything be done."

Inutaishou glared at his pup for his disrespect but Kaede seemed to ignore it and replied formally. "Nay, my lord."

She was about to continue when two small forms fell from the door way struggling with each other.

"You evil youkai!"

"Get off me! Get off!"

Everyone stared as what seems to be one teenage girl trying to tug a bushy tail off a kitsune youkai and the kit retaliating scratching at the girl. With three long strides, Inutaishou loomed over the squabbling younglings and lifted the both by the scruff of their clothes, the girl on the left, the kitsune on his right while the two still unaware of the mass attention continued tried to claw at each other from their perch.

"Stop." A firm, strong voice quietened the two. Both looked up at the tall, silver haired youkai.

The girl on Inutaishou's left looked up at him and exclaimed. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

The mistaken youkai stared, surprised at the young girl, before directing his questioning gaze at his son. The girl peered closer at him before following the youkai's gaze to another similar inuyoukai. She gasped then exclaimed the aforementioned youkai's name again. Inutaishou let her go and watched as the brown haired girl launched herself into Sesshoumaru's frame. His lips tipped amusedly as his son glared daggers and spears at him.

"Kagome." A soft whimper brought the lord's attention back to the other young child he held. It was a kitsune pup, not more than ten summers old; his fiery red bangs covered his eyes as he whimpered. But before Inutaishou speak the kit snapped his head upwards to glare at the taiyoukai, revealing his tear filled eyes cast from clear emeralds. "What are you doing to her! Let her go!" he shouted and resumed his struggles.

Inutaishou, slightly taken aback at the outburst, let the boy drop to the floor. Quickly on his four paws, the kitsune scampered towards the bed and burrowed into the folds of the miko's yukata.

"I won't let them hurt you again mama. I won't let them." He kept repeating softly furiously rubbing his face into the miko's garments.

Sesshoumaru managed to pry the girl off him and faced futon. "kit." He started.

Little kitsune jerked his head upwards and bared his fangs at the occupants of the room, hissing threateningly at them, his four paws striding over the miko's body protectively. No one knew what to do. Though they could easily extract the kit from the miko, it seemed inhuman take the kit away from his mother; albeit none understood how a ningen, an innocent at one, could bear a youkai pup. "Pup!" Inutaishou's drew the attention of the snarling boy solely on him. The hissing ceased somewhat, but the youngling's fangs were still bared, unwilling to submit to the strongest male in the room.

"Pup." The words repeated as the tall male approached the kit. The kit backed away slightly, a series of harsh growls birthed low from his throat.

"Pup!" the Inu youkai's voice was hard and commanding. "Stand down!"

It was a moment between, as the kitsune pup contemplated before the growling totally ceased. Inutaishou approached the cautious pup, taking wide but careful steps. The pup gripped the garments of the sleeping miko as the other male neared.

"I won't hurt her."

The kitsune eyes widened and filled with tears, he allowed the inuyoukai to pick him up and cradle him against his large warmth, his face pushed into the down of the other youkai's tail for comfort. The pup's small fists trembled as he cried.

"What should I call you pup?" Inutaishou asked gently, wincing slightly as the small kit tugged non-so-gently at the furs of his tail.

"Shippou," came a muffled reply. "Can you save her?" the kit lifted his tear streaked face to the older youkai. The youkai did not answer and his ears drooped. The little kitsune squirmed out of Inutaishou's arms and scrambled to the miko's side. He climbed into the futon and curled himself into the concave of he woman's stomach. Softly he whispered "mama."

"Father." Sesshoumaru called out to his unresponsive sire. Thoughts rushed through his head, scenes of his own young days where he would burry himself into the cocoon of his mother's body, before his mother had died. The stoic lord hardened his eyes, choosing to push away unsavoury memories. "Father."

"I know son. Fetch the Tensaiga."

Tensaiga, the fang of heaven that could save a hundred thousand with one swing; save a hundred thousand of the dead. The blade that would not cut a fatal wound. It was the third of the three legendary blades crafted and born. Given to the eldest son to learn humanity and the value of life; given to Sesshoumaru.

* * *

The chamber was lit low, two wicks on the oil lamp flickered. Five shadows shifted over one woman laid on the dark sheets of a wide spread bedding. One small hand clutched the elbow of the slumbering maiden, his claws making pin marks on the pale skin. It was all a tense silence, blanketing the occupants of the room, removing all ease of breathing.

"Mama will live right? She'll be okay?" the small kit clutched the elbow of his mama closer to his little tummy.

"Hai pup. Your mother will be fine." Carefully, he extracted the elbow of the miko out from the kitsune's trembling paws. Carrying the pup away from his guardian, the inuyoukai nodded towards his son.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." The youkai lord did not hesitate at the sound of Rin's voice. He did not know the reason his father allowed this little girl to continue her attachment to his person and he would not allow her to interfere with the duties his had under his father's command. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" the girl's voice was louder, and his paused, glancing at his father steady gaze at him.

"Healer. Remove the girl from the room."

Kaede looked at the young lord before glancing towards Inutaishou for instructions. The lord was staring at his son, without a word. Sesshoumaru kept his eyes trained on his father, unmoving. Breaking their gaze, Inutaishou turned towards the door. "Come Kaede, we will take our leave."

"Rin-san" the healer guided the struggling girl by her shoulders and they left Sesshoumaru and the miko in the room.

"But," Rin chewed her lips at the nails that dug into her shoulders gently, reminding her, her place. She turned her head and glanced back at the youkai. He back was turned to her, as he knelt by the miko. A cry rose in her throat as Sesshoumaru picked the miko's hands in a genteel manner and as the shoji doors shut, all she could see was the image of the youkai glancing at the miko in a way he would never glance at her. "Sesshoumaru."

* * *

Sesshoumaru held the miko's hands in his. Her skin was warm and smooth resting comfortingly against the hardness of his knuckles. Unknowingly, she had drawn him in, the second the kit was discovered as her pup. It was a contradiction; he would not accept humans, but she accepted youkai whole-heartedly, and he was drawn to her. He wanted to know why the kitsune refused to let her go, why he would cry for he, like the way Izayoi cried for Inuyasha.

He wanted to know.

A shallow gasp interrupted his train of thoughts and Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes. Blue orbs trained unsteady on his, dulling and clearing once in a while. Her breathing was laboured and Sesshoumaru lifted her onto his lap. He placed her chest onto his chest and took in deep breaths. The miko began to follow the pace he set. She breathed as she felt his chest collapse in exhalation and she exhaled at the rise of his chest. Her breathing regulated somewhat as her pulse slowed.

"Miko." The girl did not respond, only the sounds of her breathing deeply was heard as her head was bowed, tucked against Sesshoumaru' neck. "Kagome." The lord tried the name the kitsune had uttered. He was about to try again when the miko lifted her head and leaned it against his chin, her strength substantially diminished.

The youkai lifted her chin and propped the miko's forehead against his, finding her eyes closed, squeezed shut. Her shallow breaths brushed against his lips, hot and laborious and her fingers gripped the lapels of his garment. She tried to speak but only harsh air was expelled, causing her to choke. Her body was shaking violently as Sesshoumaru gripped her shoulders to steady her fitful body.

Sesshoumaru then tilted her head and settled his mouth on her exposed throat, moulding his lip against her efforts to cough yet at the same time breathe in air. He massaged it gently against the rapidly contracting muscles and sucked as the spasms ceased and relaxed. The girl gasped and swallowed against the pressure of the youkai's mouth and tilted her head further back. With one last suck, Sesshoumaru removed his lips from her throat and glanced at the girl.

She was taking in air deeply, her hand clutching his kimono tight. Her eyes were trained on his face. He saw the recognition in her eyes and knew that she knew he was youkai. He saw her irises shift upward onto his forehead before centring their focus on his eyes again. Her fists spread and she pushed them against his chest, attempting to levitate herself away from him. Though so, Sesshoumaru could tell that she was not fearful, merely wary.

"This Sesshoumaru will save you." The girl stopped trying to escape his embrace and stared up at him. The youkai saw surprise in her eyes and a profound confusion that left him questioning his own actions. Outwardly he knew his actions were being seen as the duties of a son carrying out the orders of the sire, but somehow, inwardly, he did not agree. He wanted her save. More than that, Sesshoumaru wanted to know why he wanted her saved.

_This Sesshoumaru does not care; there must be a logical explanation._

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter is a little short. Forgive the grammatical mistakes and so. I hope this chapter unfolds more. And or those who have been asking where Kagome is, well she has always been there! Well, there are thins to clear up. Firstly, someone asked me why Inuyasha was still pinned to the tree and why hasn't Kagome woken Inuyasha. Well, this is AU because it does not follow the storyline of the Anime/Manga at all. Secondly, there is a reason for it!Which of course i cannot reveal now grins.

I hope you stay tuned and i hope this chapter was enough. ;) Review! Man! Do i have to resort to review myself?! Wahahaha..

More will come. I promise a longer next chapter!

Vineyard


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